Violinist Odin Rathnam to perform with Camerata Del Sol in its debut concerts this weekend

Daniel Vega-Albela, one of the founders of the new chamber orchestra, Camerata del Sol.

Credit Leora Zeitlin

There’s a new professional chamber orchestra in town – Camerata del Sol, a 15-member string ensemble that will make its debut this weekend in concerts in Las Cruces and El Paso. Made up of players from Las Cruces, El Paso, Ciudad Juarez and elsewhere in the country and the world, the group will perform works that aren’t played by large symphony orchestras, and that lend themselves to the more intimate sound of a chamber group. That includes the Violin Concerto in C by Franz Joseph Haydn, which New York violinist Odin Rathnam will perform with the new ensemble this weekend, and the Serenade for Strings by Josef Suk.

Daniel Vega-Albela, one of the ensemble’s founders, came to talk with Intermezzo host Leora Zeitlin about the inspiration to start a chamber orchestra, and the music they'll be playing this weekend. Camerata del Sol will give concerts on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at NMSU's Atkinson Recital Hall in Las Cruces. Tickets will be $10 at the door. Admission will be free for students with ID.

A second concert will take place on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Trinity First United Methodist Church in El Paso.